Economic policy is mostly devolved but several important policy areas are reserved to
Westminster. Further and
higher education policy is mostly devolved.
Reserved and excepted matters are outlined below.
Scotland Reserved matters: •
Competition •
Customer protection •
Import and export control •
Insolvency •
Intellectual property •
Outer space •
Postal services • Product standards, safety and liability •
Research councils •
Telecommunications •
Time •
Business associations • Weights and measures in relation to goods The Scottish Government
Economy and
Education Directorates handle devolved economic and further and higher education policy respectively.
Northern Ireland Reserved matters: •
Consumer safety in relation to goods • Import and export controls, external trade •
Intellectual property •
Postal services •
Telecommunications •
Units of measurement Excepted matter: •
outer space The department's main counterparts are: •
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (general economic policy) •
Department for Employment and Learning (employment relations, further and higher education policy)
Wales Under the Welsh devolution settlement, specific policy areas are transferred to the
Welsh Government rather than reserved to Westminster. ==See also==